Last for making shoes



July 5, 1927. 1,634,815

s. J. ALLEN LAST FOR MAKING SHOES Filed Dec. 16. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Parental July 5., 1927. j

PATENT oFF ICE.

' SETON J'. ALLEN, 0F 'VINL'LIJALNDy NEW JERSEY.

LAST FOB MAKING SHOES.

Application med December 18,1926. Serial No. 155,318.

My invention relates to lasts for making shoes, and more particularly to lasts which may be used for the'manufacture of shoes that will most perfectly accommodate the normal or abnormal formation of the foot, with particular reference to the formation of the foot sole.

In the heretofore known art, lasts have been made so that a shoe may be formed thereon, such that it might ,be approximatey accommodated and worn by a deformed cot.

It is my purpose to make a last bymeans of which a shoe may be formed for general wear, so that it w1ll most accurately and hygienically support the foot of the usual and ordinary wearer, `and so that there may be obtained the greatest ease and comfort of movement, as well as the greatest ease and comfort when the wearer is not moving.

It is further my purpose to create a last `upon which a shoe may be built that will most perfectly conform to the normal formation of the sole of the foot.

I do not intend by this invention to create a device by which an abnormally formed foot ma be correctly supported, but I do intend t at a last, as hereafter described, shall be such that a shoe built thereon will be of the character and design which will anatomically, properl and correctly conform to the normal ormation of the sole of the foot'and will properly and most comfortably, as well as most normally support the' wearer..- l

In the rior art it is known that various t es'ofl aste have been made upon which s oes have been builded that have supported the arch of the foot.

It is well recognized that these types of lasts and shoes are usually built for abnormally formed feet.

It is to be understood,- therefore, that although I term this last one u on which an orthopedic shoe may be built, therefore do not wish to be understood as havin devised a last which is particularly applicable to feet of abnormal formation, but asfhaving devised a last upon which shoes may be built that willt and comfortably support, most normally, feet both of normal and abnormal formation, within certain limits, the limitation being particularly in reference to feet ofabnormal formation.

AOne of the objects of my invention is, to provlde Aa last by means' of which, in the course of manufacture, a shoe may be constructed, which will provide the most comfort to the wearer and which will 've to the wearer the most proper poise and alance, in order that the walking movement may be accomplished with the greatest ease, and in order that the wearer, when not walking, mignstand with the most complete comfort. other object is to provide a last of such construction that a erson wearing a shoe built thereon, will, 1f defects be inherent 1n the feet of the wearer, have them approxlmately corrected, as the result of the formation of the shoe; the correction of these defects being a result particularly of the 'formation of the arch, or intermediate ortlon, of the innerfsole of the shoe built rom the last which is the subject of this application.

y invention consists of the particular combination, organization and formation of` parts shown in .the accompanying drawing, described in the specification and more specificall pointed out in the appended claims. In t e drawings: Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of my last,

showing the formation and location of the recesse ortion thereof, by means of which I eifect e particular desired formation of thev innersole of the shoe built on the last as shown.4

Flg. 2 is alongitudinal cross-section, on

line 2 2 of Figure 1, showing the formation of the last, the depression in the arch portion thereof and the approximate depth of such depression.

Fig. 3 isa view taken as Figure 2, but showing an exaggerated depression of the 4depressed portion of the last.

'direction of the arrow, and partially in cross-section, of the sole of my last, particulalrly showing inner portion o portion in the last; illustrating the twist in the indented rtion, which I consider necessar to the ormation of this type of last.

8 is a perspective vicwof my last, taken from the rear, with articular reference to the curvature of the indented portion thereof, and with further reference to a convex raised portion as shown near theheel.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, my last comprises a forward or toe portion 10, and a heel portion 11, of substantially usual shape and formation, but my last comprises also an intermediate portion between the portions,Y 10 and 11 which is commonly called the arch portion.

It is within this arch portion that my invention particularly lies.

T have found that the normal shape of the sole of the foot under this intermediate portion, between the portions 10 and 11 on my last, is such that it should be supported by an elevated section within the inner sole of the shoe; in order to give the correct support to that portion of the foot which in the shoes as heretofore made was not properly supported.

In order to accomplish this effect, I h ave so formed my last that in this intermediate section between the toe portion 10 and the heel portion 11, I provide an indented or depressed section 12.

This indented or depressed section 12 is somewhat pear-shaped and extends, as illustrated in Figure 1, from the line 13-13, which is substantiallythe line determining the point of the ball of the foot as normally formed, as to its forward position, to the line 6 6, which is the line which determines the normal point of raise of a normal heel in the normal foot.

I have illustrated in Figure 1 a last upon which a shoeY for the right foot may be built. It is in reference to this that the further description of the drawing, so far as this figure is concerned, will be made.

The formation of the depressed portion 12 is such that there is on the outer side of the last a lifted or undepressed section 14, extending substantiallyV from the ball of the small toe 'io the lift which begins the heel of the foot; increasingr in width from the outside border of the last as it progresses rearwardly and terminating at, or substantially at, the line 6-6, indicating a cross sectional cut in Figure 1.

Likewise the configuration of this depressed portion is, at its forward or toe end of the last, substantially that conforming to the shape of a pear, having .one side fiattened, being that side adjacent to the outer portion of the last, and having the other the curvature toward thev the foot of the intended side enlarged, bein that side adiacent to the inner portion o the last.

Respecting the contour of the indented portion of the last, namely,the portion 17 which is opposite the portion 11 above described, it will be seen this ortion 17 recedes rearwardly from the en arged portion of the front 16 of the depressed section in a concaved linear formation. This formation is such that substantially the intermediate point of -this formation describes the deepest concavity, and is also at this oint ubstantially midway of the arch o the oot.

The depressed section 12, which forms within the last the lifted or undepressed section 14 on the outer side of the last, will be seen to be bounded by the line 16l and will be seen to terminate both as to the lifted portion 14 and depressed sectionv 12 at the line 6-4-6 upon which a cross section has been made and heretofore described.

Respecting the portion 17 it will be seen that it terminates at its rearward end on the line 6-6 as does the portion 14 bounded by the line 16.

The ortion 17, defined by the line 17 is, beside heing on the base of the last, inset laterally from the inner longitudinal face of the last, particularly at that portion which is inset or concaved at the arch, so

that my last is formed at that section with an inwardly receding roll, which extends laterally but which is formed as to its longitudinal length in a line which extends from the ball of the foot or big toe to the heel. This line 17 so defines the curvature of the formation on the inner side of the last, which contains this inset or indented portion 12, that it limits both the width and the length of this indented ortion from the portion 16, so that it will provide means upon which an inner-sole for a shoe may be built or moulded, to conform to the normal l configuration of the foot sole.

I have shown in Figure 2, a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fi re 1 of the construct-ion of my last; and t herein I have shown the depression 12 in cross-section which is illustrated in Figure 1 in plan view.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a partial forward section of my last, showin the depressed section 12 as exaggerated in depth. This figure being but a partial cross-sectional view of the toe portion of the last, but with the heel portion removed.

In Figure 4: I have shown a side elevation' of my last which illustrates, not only the formation of the toe portion 10 and the heel portion 11, but the formation and extent of the indented portion 12 and which also, by the dotted line-12* and the full line 12", shows the twist in the. curvature of the indented portion 12.

pear in cross-section from a cut on line 6-,6, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the is of such formation natural formation of the foot sole, and to.

de Ata I have also shown Fi ure in order to indicate the formation an the direction of the arrow.

In Figure 7. it .will be seen that I have shown not only the articular formationof the depressed or in ented section 12 in my last asto its de th, but have also indicated the fact that, it u as a somewhat spiral twist or curvature, which is more depressed at the inner side of the last than at the outer, and which substantially merges with the line of formation of the inner side of the last at 17* and which leaves a substantial ridge or roll such as 14 in Figire 1 on the `outer side which roll or elevated section 14 substantially terminates in its rearward ex tension at the line 6-6 marking the point where the cross-section of Figure 6 has been taken, as shown in Figure 1.

It will benoticed from Figure 7, that on the inner side of this concaved or depressed portion 12 near the cross-sectional inter- ,section line 6-6 there is substantially a lump or elevated section or portion 18 which terminates the rearward extent of the depressed portion 12 of my last. y .It wil also be observed that on or near the outer side of the last, and particularly the rtion which determines the inner mar of the section 14, there is a raised or e evated vsection 19.

,These elevated sections 18 and19 co-ordinating with the twisted formation of my deressed last section 12 are of such sha an so disposed that they enable me to bu' d thereon a shoe havin an inner-sole which at it conforms tothe form a shoe which will have a substantial tendency to reform an ordinarilydeformed foot capableof wearin such a shoe, and which` as well will com ortably lit the noi"- nial foot.

Attention is particularly called to the factv that there is a specified location for this depressed section of the last, and that the applicant believes that this particular location as specified is the-only correct location b means of which tlie wearer of ashoebui t u on such a lastmay have the most comen on line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in.`Y

' tion; the

that there separates the outer portion ofN i, i l

the outer side of this last from the indented llast arch section.

It will be observed also that, on the inner side of the sole of thela'st that the formation will be such that the inner sole will conform to the formation ofthe foot and will approximately line `up with the-ordinary, and .usual formation of the outer so1e,as seen in Figures 7 and `8.

It will be seen, therefore, that I have provided a last upon which may be built aV shoe which will accommodate not onl the ordinary type of foot, but which Vvc" ,cor-

rect the formation of the t pe of foot which may be incorrectly forme from'natural or accidental causes.

Therefore, although I have'thus described my invention in detail and illustrated it in the accompanying drawin s, I do not wish to be limited to the particu or disposition of the shape of my invention by the terms which may describe it; for it is obvious that various-modifications maybe made in the combination, organization, ar-

rangement and formation of parts which embody my invention,

from the spirit and scope thereof'.

Claims;-

ai' form or shape A without departing l. A shoe last, having` a longitudinally i,

extending, transversely curved and twisted depressed surface in the arch portion of its r`-` .tion to the ball of the toe portion, therfgr'- bottom face extending from the heel' ward and intermediate ortioi'is of said def pressed arch portion sur ace being concavely curved and 'taperin toward the heel porortion o said arch mer vers y curved line nearthe ball of the foot,

105. u ortion ad- Jacent sai heel portion being s ightly oonand at its ends merging intov oppositely lcurved lines, which merge into the lateral curvature of the above mentioned arch, said arch surface being concavely'curved in vits forward and intermediate portions, and` convexly curved on opposite sides adjacent its heel portion. l

3. A last for shoes, comprising a body portion, having a heel section, and a forward or toe section, said last being char! acterized by an indented concavit provided' in Athe sole `of the toe portion, sai concavity extending from the vball portion :of saidlastv rearwardly to the heel portion, and

extending laterally' from one side of said iso , the arch of the foot an last and terminating near the opposite side of said last, there providing a relatively .elevated marginal section in the body of' the last sole that determines the boundary of said concavity on oneside, Said 'concavity being located a roximately under eing formed with a spiral twist inclined downwardly at the the toe -portion thereof, said depressed lortion extending longitudinally from the all of the foot ap roximately to the heel, and laterally exten ing artially across the sole of the. last under t e arch portion of the foot, and being formed with a spirally twisted curvature, more depressed on the innel` side of the last than on the opposite side, said concavity being adapted to permit the moulding on said last of an inner sole of al shoe, to produce thereon a convex, spirally curved, raised portion, so formed that the latter will perfectly conform to and ef.- fectually support the arch of a foot.

5. A last for shoes comprising a body portion, having a toe section, and a heel section, and having a depressed. concavely shaped, sp'irally twisted indented portion that it will correctly 'fit the foot of a wearer.

6. A last for shoes comprising a toe portion, and a heel portion, having a depressed, concavely formed section in the sole of the toe poition said ooncavely formed section extending rom the inner side of said last to near the outer side of said last, being more deeply depressed at the inner side than at the outer side of said last `and terminating near the heel in substantially con` vexly formed lifted sections, which are om hand.

y sE'ro-N J. ALLEN.

lsitioned approximately at the opposite si es 

